Marietta r



(No Model.)

A. S. JOHNSTON, Delod.

M. R. JOHNSTON, Administratrix.

WHIFPLETREE.

. @am f Nirnn STATES` lATENT Frio AUSTIN S. JOHNSTON, OF ENGLEIVOOD, ILLINOIS; MARIETTA R. JOHNSTON ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID AUSTIN S. JOHNSTON, DEOEASED..

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 423,519, dated March 18, 1890.

Application filed July 5, 1889. Serial No. 316,538. (No model.)

To all whom.- it may concern.:

Be it known that I, AUSTIN S. JOHNSTON, residing at Englewood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of Athe United States, have invented a new andl useful ImprovementJ in W hiftletreesof which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is an under side view of the whiflietree detached from the cross-bar. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing the plate attached to the whifietree. Fig. et is an enlarged detail showing the plate attached to the cross-bar. Fig. 5 is I 5 an enlarged detail showin gthe cam-bar which engages with the rod that holds the trace-eye. Fig. 6 is an enlarged central longitudinalsection, broken away at one end.

.My invention relates to Whifietrees, and its 2@ object is to provide means whereby the traces can be readily unhitched or detached from the whiffletree, which I accomplish as illustrated in the drawings and as hereinafter described.

That which I claim as new will be pointed out in the claim's.

Y In the drawings, A represents the whiftletree, which at its center is attached to the cross-bar B of the thills by a bolt a. The

whiifietree A has a groove h in its under side extending its entire length.`

C C are two 'ferrules, one on each end of the whifetree A. Each ferrule C has a clip c, which projects downward at a short disl tance from the end of the whiflietree, as shown in Fig. 1.

D D are two rods located in direct line with each other in the groove b in the whifdetree A, one on each side of the bolt a. Each rod D has a knob d near its outer end,which projects upward through a slot in the ferrulc O. E is a spring interposed between the inner adjacent ends of the slide-rods D and operating to press both the latter outward, so that their'ends will project beyond the ends of the whietree, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

F is a plate secured to the whifetree A at its center, as shown in Figs. l, 3, and 6. This plate F has a depending Vannular flange f, as

Y 5c. shown in Fig. 3.

G is a plate secured to the cross-bar of the thills.

This plate G has an annulariiange g, as shown in Fig. 4, within which the flange f of the plate F fits, as shown in Fig. 6.

H is a lever. This lever H has a circular 5 5 opening h in one end, which fits around the annular flange g of the plate G, as shown in Fig. 6. The lever H has a cam-groove 'L' 011 each side of the opening h, into which project the laterally-extending lugs I on the in- 6oV ner ends of the rods D, as shown in Fig. 2.

J is a strap attached to the outer end of the lever H, as shown in Fig. l.

The spring or springs E force the rods D outward, asshown in Fig. 6. The trace is secured to the whifetree by pressing the rod D backward by means of the knob d and inserting the trace-eye between the clip c and the end of the whifetreaand then releasing the knob, when the rod D will enter the trace- 7o eye. The clip c will prevent the trace-eye from unhitohing while the vehicle is moving.

The traces may be unhitched or detached by pulling on the strap J until the lever His brought into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, which, by means of the `cam grooves or slots vl and turned-up ends I, will draw the rods D inward, allowing the traceey'e to drop from between the clip c and the end of the whiflietree. 8o

The strap J may be arranged in any convenient position; but I prefer to pass it between the dash-board and the body of the vehicle and attach its end to the top of the dash-board within easy reach of the driver, so that in case of accident the horse may be unhitched from the vehicle instantly by simply pulling on it. The holdback-straps should -be attached to the thills by means of hooks or other suitable means, that they will be re- 9o leased when the horse pulls outfrom between the thills; but I have not shown any such arrangement, as it forms no part of my invention. t

This whiflietree will be found very convenientand useful in unhitching the horse at all times, as the traces are both released at the same time by simply pulling on the strap J, and the traces are as readily hitched as by those devices heretofore in use for securing roo g the traces to the whifletree.

The nut on the bolt a may be turned up as tight as maybe desired Without binding the lever H, as it fits around the flange g.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, isl.

l. The combination, with a cross-bar B and a Whiffletree A, j ournaled thereupon and having lengthwise-sliding rods D arranged in the i line with each other and provided at their inner ends with laterally-extending lugs I, of a spring E, interposed between the inner ends of the sliding rods, and a lever H, having the l opposite cam-groovesi', into which respectively project the lugs on the rods, substantially as described.

2. The' combination, With the cross-bar B and the Whiietree A, one of which is' pr0`` vided With a plate having a vertical annular flange, a pivotbolt d, passing centrally through the llanged plate, and the springpressed sliding rods D on the whifletree, having vtheir inner ends provided with lateral` lugs I, of a lever H,havng opposite camgrooves c', engaging the lugs, and .provided With a circular orifice h, 'receiving the annular flange of said plate and journaling the leon the Whiletree, and the. lever H, having the opposite cam-grooves i', receiving the lugs, and provided with the circular orifice h, receiving theannularalange of the plate on the cross-bar, substantially as described.

AUST-IN S. JOHNSTON. Witnesses: v

ALBERT H. ADAMS,

HARRY T. JONES.' 

